


small concessions

by epsiloneridani



Series: Senator Cody AU [2]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Gen, cody is a senator, order 66 never happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:08:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26369221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/epsiloneridani/pseuds/epsiloneridani
Summary: Cody is a senator. Obi-Wan plays bodyguard.Cody is amused. Obi-Wan? Less so.
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Series: Senator Cody AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1916269
Comments: 34
Kudos: 176





	small concessions

“You look fine.”

Obi-Wan huffs and tucks that stubborn strand of hair back into place. Cody’s tempted to comm Davijaan and get him to do a quick flyby of the landing platform with his gunship, just to displace the hair again and piss off Kenobi, but Commander Davijaan, callsign Odd Ball, is well on his way back to base by now and won’t take kindly to Cody telling him to turn around just to play a petty prank.

Besides, that would be a gross abuse of senatorial power.

“I do not,” Obi-Wan grumbles, and tugs self-consciously at his collar. He hasn’t been back to the Senate since his trial, and then he spent most of his time clad in semi-casual civilian clothes. His attire now is much more formal, dark robes that closely resemble Skywalker’s usual garb and color scheme. Cody guesses, by his constant fidgeting, that he’s either uncomfortable with the fit, or just fussing because, deep down, he can’t stand the outfit itself. He didn’t pick it out himself, though, so maybe it’s both.

Cody rolls his eyes and moves to Obi-Wan’s side. “You’ll be fine,” he says, and puts a firm hand on his back to guide him to the door. “Come on. You’re going to make me late.”

“Playing bodyguard to a senator,” Obi-Wan grumbles, spitting the title like a curse. “Why did I agree to this?”

“You’re playing advisor, officially, not bodyguard,” Cody correct smoothly, swiping a hand over the sensor to grant them entrance to the Senate complex.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Cody quirks a brow at him and steps into the turbolift. Obi-Wan tugs at his sleeve again, then drags a hand through his hair. Out of the corner of his eye, Cody can see him eyeing his reflection in the polished glass.

“Is vanity a Jedi trait?” he drawls, and bites back a grin when Kenobi snorts.

“Hardly,” Obi-Wan says. “But I remind you, Commander, that I am no longer a Jedi, and therefore no longer bound by any element of their doctrine.”

As if he paid any mind to that particular facet even when he still wore the sign of the Order. This time, Cody does grin.

Obi-Wan’s face is pinched; his mouth twists indignantly. He shoots Cody a scowl that comes dangerously close to being a sulk. “You’re not half as funny as you think you are,” he grumbles under his breath, and rolls his shoulders to shift his robes a fraction.

“That wasn’t a joke,” Cody says. “Just an observation, General.”

It slips out. Obi-Wan gives an enormous sigh. “It’s just Obi-Wan,” he says tiredly, and presses his eyes closed. His fingers come to rest on the bridge of his nose. “We’ve been over that as well. Many times.”

Old habits die hard. Cody almost regrets the slip-up. Almost. “You take every opportunity to remind me that I’m a _shabla_ politician,” he returns.

“You’re a _senator_ , Cody. That makes you—”

“—your mortal enemy,” Cody finishes, and relishes the exasperated glower the expression earns him. It’s good to get a reaction. Kenobi’s been too quiet these last months, aimless and ambling and lost staring into the night sky: a shadow, not a star.

Bickering is better than broken silence.

Obi-Wan shuffles from foot to foot until the turbolift comes to a stop. “You never answered my question,” he points out, and follows Cody down the hall.

Cody quirks a brow at him and feigns innocence.

Obi-Wan narrows his eyes. “Why did I agree to this?” he asks, slow and measured.

“Because Fox is tired of stopping all of the assassination attempts on his own and the Force gives you an advantage he doesn’t have.”

Kenobi doesn’t find that as funny as Cody thinks he should. His eyes turn stormy. “Relax,” Cody says, and pats his shoulder. “I’m sure it’ll give you ample warning if someone’s about to take my head off.”

“That’s not how the Force works and you know it.”

He does; they’ve discussed it, many times. The best warriors are scholars too. Cody palms the door to his office open. His foot is halfway over the threshold before Kenobi yanks him back.

“You could at least let me clear the room first,” Obi-Wan hisses. Cody holds up his hands to placate him and steps away. It takes Kenobi all of thirty seconds to ascertain the space’s safety; he waves Cody in.

“Tell me you’re not going to do that every time I go in here,” Cody says, and drops down into his chair with much less dignity than he should. “It’s going to get really old, really fast.”

“Didn’t you find a bomb under your desk last week?” Kenobi asks.

“That’s beside the point.”

“That is exactly the point.”

“I disarmed it,” Cody says calmly. “So it turned out all right in the end.”

“‘Disarmed,’” Obi-Wan says, and crooks his fingers. “That’s an interesting way of saying ‘threw it out the window.’”

The panes of glass haven’t been replaced yet; their usual place is covered over by durasteel sheeting. If Fox has his way, they’ll stay like that forever. Cody toys with his datapad.

“No witty rebuttal?” Obi-Wan asks, after a long beat of silence. There’s something like triumph in his voice. Cody stifles a scowl.

“I disarmed it,” he says, without looking up. “It just….exploded afterwards.”

“You and I need to have a serious conversation about what, precisely, ‘disarmed’ means.”

“I have work to do,” Cody says, instead of answering.

“That sounds like a concession.”

“Shut up and go make sure someone doesn’t break down my door.”

“Surely you’d hear the effort before they actually managed it,” Obi-Wan says, but falls silent regardless.

Then he starts pacing.

Cody slaps his datapad down on his desk. “Sit,” he says, and stabs a finger at the chair across from him. Obi-Wan looks at him, startled, and obeys.

“Sorry,” he says dryly. “I was securing the perimeter.”

Cody tilts his head at him. “Of my office,” he clarifies.

Obi-Wan spreads his hands helplessly. “It’s a very small perimeter.”

Cody drags his hands through his hair. “Is it your mission in life to make mine difficult?” he asks, and takes a moment to raise his head. When he locks gazes with Obi-Wan again, Kenobi’s eyes are sparkling with mischief. All at once, his irritation flickers and dies.

He hasn’t seen that light since before Mandalore.

“Certainly not,” Obi-Wan says. “I’m here to protect you, if you recall.”

Laughter explodes from Cody like a sunburst. Obi-Wan raises his eyebrows.

“Did I say something funny?” he asks.

Cody shakes his head and struggles to get his breath back. “No,” he says, once he has it. “No, it’s just – it’s good to see you, Obi-Wan.”

“You spoke to me yesterday,” Kenobi reminds, but the gentle light in his eyes belays the teasing in his tone. Cody reaches across the desk and clasps his forearm. He wants to say something as profound as his relief, but all he can manage is a stupid smile.

Obi-Wan mirrors it. “It’s good to see you too, Cody,” he says softly, and holds on.

\--

**Author's Note:**

> I'm [jate-kara](jate-kara.tumblr.com) over on tumblr!


End file.
